REUTERS
The Russian Federation detains only 20% of the sanctioned goods on its borders, according to Rosselkhoznadzor, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control, Russian newspaper Izvestia reported.
The data show that only a small amount of smuggled goods imported from the countries of the Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union is being detained, in view of the fact that there is no customs control on administrative borders with such states. Inspections are carried out only at a few customs stations of Rosselkhoznadzor: six customs stations on the border with Belarus and 35 - with Kazakhstan.
Smugglers tend to use uncontrolled back roads: even those who have been banned the entrance, often find detours and nevertheless import Western products into the Russian territory.
Read alsoRussia destroys more than 250 tonnes of embargoed food in one dayIn turn, Rosselkhoznadzor plans to increase the number of customs control checkpoints along the administrative borders, but first, a study of trade flows from Kazakhstan and Belarus will be performed.
On August 7, 2014, Russia imposed a ban on a number of goods from the EU, U.S., Australia, Canada and Norway. On July 31, the Russian government approved the procedure for destruction of smuggled products, which are subject to sanctions. According to the document, the destruction is "carried out in any way possible to meet the mandatory requirements provided for by the legislation in the field of environmental protection."